News & Events

Drastic decrease in applications for international education

The number of people who applied to international Master’s programmes this autumn in Swedish universities and colleges has dropped 73 per cent compared with last year. The figures are the same for LiU. This according to the latest statistics from Verket för högskoleservice, VHS.

1,200 students have applied to LiU’s international Master’s programmes for the fall of 2011. The corresponding figure last year was 4,300.

The reason behind the huge decrease is that fees for international students will be introduced starting in the autumn of 2011. Students from outside the EU, EEA countries, and Switzerland will then pay to study in Sweden. Experience from other countries, such as Denmark and Holland, that have introduced fees shows that the number of applicants initially decreased drastically.

“This was an expected decline in applications to international Master’s programmes. Students have until 28 January to complete their applications. Only afterwards – that is, at the beginning of February – will we know for certain how many applicants we have and how many of them will have to pay fees,” says LiU Communications Director Lars Holberg.

Prior to the autumn of 2011, LiU has 1.9 million SEK in scholarship money to distribute to international students who will be paying fees. This means that hundreds of scholarships will be distributed, and the students who receive them will get up to 50 per cent of their tuition fees.

Tuition fees at LiU will be between 95,000 and 140,000 SEK per academic year.